Research in Motion is positioning itself as more than just a device maker by launching new software to that securely manages BlackBerry, iOS and Android devices through a service reminiscent of BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

The advent of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion could be the online service that enables Research in Motion to bring in an entire new population of customers while retaining the loyalty of its current users. If it proves highly successful, Mobile Fusion it could enable RIM to reverse its plummeting revenue and profit position.

Mobile Fusion uses what the company is calling the next version of BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), working with Microsoft ActiveSync protocols to deliver management to devices including the BlackBerry PlayBook, iPads, iPhones and Android devices.

This means that non-BlackBerry devices will be able to make use of the secure BES environment, including delivery of e-mail and other information over a secure connection with 256-bit AES encryption. This will also allow users to connect securely to popular e-mail services including Gmail and Windows Live. Existing BES users will be able to manage everything from a single console by using BlackBerry Studio to integrate the two systems.

"We are not just a device company," said RIM vice president of enterprise software Pete Devenyi, "we are also a mobile device management company. Ninety percent of the Fortune 500 are relying on BES every day." With the rapid expansion of the Bring-Your-Own-Device trend in the corporate marketplace, it was time to be realistic about how RIM supported its customers.

"For over a decade now RIM has established itself as being the best in mobile device management with the BES," Devenyi said. "It remains critical for us to remain firmly entrenched as the leading MDM in this space; we are committed to driving that business forward." Devenyi said that the need for a product like Mobile Fusion is tremendous.

"What's very important to recognize is that we are the de facto standard in mobile device management. We've only done it for BlackBerry devices in the past. Mobile fusion expands a great number of the benefits of BES across devices."

Devenyi said that Mobile Fusion is intended specifically to support a market where there are both corporate owned devices and BYOD devices. He said that the new MDM will work with BlackBerry Balance, a technology that allows BlackBerry devices to have two partitions within the device, one containing personal data and apps, and the other for corporate data and apps. He said that BlackBerry Fusion will allow corporate management of the appropriate part of the device, and leave the personal information alone.

Devenyi said that the only restriction regarding the use of Mobile Fusion with BES is that it has to be version 5.0.3, which is the latest version of BlackBerry Enterprise Server. He said that it can be used in organizations of any size, and in conjunction with BES Express, which is intended for smaller enterprises. He also said that in addition to working with BlackBerry and PlayBook devices, it will work with BlackBerry 10 when that ships later in 2012.

A primary feature of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is security. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion leverages Microsoft ActiveSync protocols for e-mail and other data, and when strong security isn't needed, it will let e-mail services run in an HTTPS environment. However, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is designed primarily to maintain a BlackBerry Secure Connection from the business network to the device using end-to-end encryption. The apps necessary for this to work on iOS and Android devices are available in the respective app stores for each device.

RIM is also making BlackBerry Mobile Fusion available free on a 60-day trial so that companies can try it out before committing to a subscription. In addition to supporting iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices including phones and tablets, Mobile Fusion is designed to set security and use policies, it supports multiple devices per user, and it performs asset control and configuration management.